Like barren root of thistle pent, In some high ruin’d battlement. O’er shady hill, through greenwood round, I sought this wand; the wand I found. Odin is wroth, and mighty Thor; E’en Freyr shall now thy name abhor. But ere o’er thine ill-fated head The last dread curse of heaven be spread, Giants and Thursians far and near, Suttungur’s[109] sons, and Asians, hear, How I forbid with fatal ban This maid the joys, the fruit of man! Cold Grimmer is that giant hight Who thee shall hold in realms of night; Where slaves in cups of twisted roots Shall bring foul beverage from the goats: Nor sweeter draught, nor blither fare, Shalt thou, sad virgin, ever share. ’Tis done! I wind the mystic charm; Thus, thus, I trace the giant form; And three fell characters below, Fury, and Lust, and restless Woe. E’en as I wound, I straight unwind This fatal spell, if thou art kind.” GERDA (_sung_).—“Now hail, now hail, thou warrior bold! Take, take this cup of crystal cold, And quaff the pure metheglin old! Yet deem’d I ne’er, that love could bind To Vanian youth my hostile mind.” SKIRNIR (_sung_).—“I turn not home to bower or hall, Till I have learnt mine errand all; Where thou wilt yield the night of joy To brave Niorder’s gallant boy.” GERDA (_sung_).—“Barri is hight the seat of love; Nine nights elapsed, in that known grove, Shall brave Niorder’s gallant boy From Gerda take the kiss of joy.” Then rode Skirnir home. Freyr stood forth and hailed him, and asked what tidings. “Speak; Skirnir, speak, and tell with speed! Take not the harness from thy steed, Nor stir thy foot, till thou hast said, How fares my love with Gymer’s maid!” SKIRNIR (_sung_).—“Barri is hight the seat of love; Nine nights elapsed, in that known grove, To brave Niorder’s gallant boy Will Gerda yield the kiss of joy.” FREYR (_sung_).—“Long is one night, and longer twain; But how for three endure my pain! A month of rapture sooner flies, Than half one night of wishful sighs.” Footnote 102: Asi and Alfi. Footnote 103: The bower of Gerda was surrounded with fire. Footnote 104: _May_, maid. Footnote 105: The duties of hospitality were held so sacred amongst the northern nations, that Gerda would not refuse admittance to Skirnir, though she imagined him to be her greatest enemy. Footnote 106: Eagles are said to sit without moving for a long time upon some high eminence in the morning. Footnote 107: Perhaps alluding to the serpent of Midgard in the Icelandic Mythology. Footnote 108: